21 Sep 2013 Senior season a second chance
by Mark Oliver
Marred by an injury in the season opener a year ago, Central Arkansas Christian senior quarterback Jack Thomas considers this season a second chance.
Thomas was nominated by Coach Tommy Shoemaker and selected for this year’s 501 Football Team.
“Jack is a young man of tremendous character,” Shoemakersaid. “He is someone you can count on to do the right thing and encourage others to do the same. He is one of the best people you will ever meet. He is also a very talented and competitive athlete. ”
In the 2012 season opener against Stuttgart, Thomas led the Mustangs to a halftime lead, but the tables turned in the second half when Thomas started feeling pain in his throwing arm.
“On our sixth drive, I was throwing and completing some long passes,” Thomas recounted. “The last pass that I threw was a 25-yard touchdown pass. With every throw, the pain in my shoulder kept getting worse. I told the coaches that I had to come out. As a quarterback, if you can’t throw, it takes away a lot of your game — pretty much all of your game.”
Despite its lead, CAC fell to the Ricebirds, 49-22. With a brace on his arm that prohibited him from throwing, Thomas was done at quarterback for the rest of the season. Although he could not play quarterback for the Mustangs, Thomas found a new way to contribute, switching over to defense and playing linebacker.
“I came back toward the end of the regular season and played linebacker, which is my natural position,” Thomas said. “I played it my sophomore year and led the team in tackles and interceptions. In my first game back, we held Ashdown to negative yards rushing. I had some sacks, forced some fumbles and contributed that way. It helped to be a leader, to be back on the field and have a presence on the field to help lead my team.”
Despite injuries across the board, the Mustangs tallied seven wins and advanced to the playoffs, falling to Nashville in the Class 4A quarterfinals. After a year of healing, Thomas has stepped back into the quarterback role for the Mustangs once again.
“We had to overcome some adversity last season,” Thomas said. “We battled through that adversity and made it to the playoffs and made arun further than we have gone in the past couple of years. In some people’s minds that may be a success, but I’d like to go further and win the conference championship this year — something that hasn’t been done since 2007. I’m feeling 100 percent. Hopefully we can get hot at the right time and make a run deep into the playoffs.”
“I believe Jack is going to have a tremendous senior season at quarterback,” Shoemaker said. “He has worked very hard to make himself a better player. He always gives everything he has in competition. He leads by example, and all of his teammates know that he will give everything he has to help us to be successful.”
Thomas attributes his leadership on and off the field to two of his favorite athletes.
“On the field, I love the way Johnny Manziel plays the game,” Thomas said. “He’s a dual-threat quarterback who plays with a lot of fire and has fun. Off the field, I try to model my life after Tim Tebow. With the way he views Christ and the way he views playing the game and the circumstances he’s endured in his life, he’s great.”
In addition to his on-field achievements, Thomas is involved with National Honor Society, Beta Club, Spanish Club, choir and Student Council. He excels in the classroom and is admired among his peers within the CAC student body.
“I love CAC,” Thomas said. “I’ve been going to school here my whole life. The atmosphere and the environment are great. We have great faculty and a great administration. With less than one year left, I want to try to make the most of my time here. I want to take advantage of every opportunity and build relationships with people that I haven’t built yet and take it all in.”
Although Thomas has played football since the fifth grade, he plans to play baseball in college.
“I’ve loved football my whole life, but I’m also a baseballguy. I have one offer from Harding University to play baseball, but I have been getting looks from other in-state schools,” Thomas said.
No matter where his journey takes him, Thomas will always call the 501 home.
“Living in the Natural State is beautiful,” Thomas said. “I like living in Little Rock because it’s not too big and not too small. Just about everything you need is around you here. I really like being outdoors. Climbing Pinnacle Mountain is one of my favorite things to do. Arkansas is such a beautiful state. It’s my home.”
